Springfield XDm or S&W M&P

I am looking to get my first handgun. I have done some research and have narrowed it down to Springfield XDm and S&W M&P. I have also looked at the Walther P99 but havent found anyone that stocks them so I eliminated that chose for that reason.. I have held both fire arms but only shot the XDm to this point. Both have a good feel of both of them. I was wondering which one you prefer and why? I am trying to get input to help me with my decision. I am think of getting a 9mm due to cheaper ammo and easier recovery. I will use it for home defense, shooting at range, and walking with through the woods at deer camp and on my family farm.

Both are good guns. When I got my first gun I was between mp9,g19 and px4. and the walther p99 but I coudnt find any one to shoot..

The XD has a good trigger but I didnt like the gun so much; I liked more the mp9 so I got it. I feel less recoil whit this. 5000 rounds so far and 0 issue,and feel more comfortable in my hand, you can change the backstrap.. (but of course, thats me)

All of them are good guns, it is up to you which one do you prefer.

another important questions, for what do you want the gun? range, IDPA, USPSA, home defense, conceal?

The m&p9 is getting a good reputation and many LEs are getting those.. you can check comments at m4carbine.net ..

and it doesnt matter which one do you pick, it is probably you will be getting more and more guns hahahhahhaa

jkk28, I was in your shoes 2 months ago. Same choice, same reasons for buying, same caliber for the same reasons. I had shot my friend's XD .40 and did like it, but was leaning towards the M&P Pro series because it had a nice trigger when I handled one in the store. None in stock anywhere though and reps were indicating late December '11. I returned to the store to make another choice, and after handling the XDm9 that was in stock, bought it and have been very happy with it. It is a 4.5" barrel. If I ever decide to get a compact, I might go for the M&P at that time, or the XD-9 sub compact. I will be faced with the same choice all over again....

At this time however, I like the XDm-9 so well, I'm having trouble keeping enough ammo around. Mag holds 19.

I have a XDm-9, XD-9 sub compact, Colt Police Positive 38, several different 22's and Kahr PM9 for everyday carry. I don't believe there is a gun out there that is better than the XDm-9, it is a pleasure to shoot, easy to break down and clean.

they are both good, and both very popular but for me i would go with the XDm just for the trigger. I really dont like striker fired trigger pulls but the XDm really has the best striker fired trigger pull ive ever felt. Between those two its really going to be a matter of opinion more than anything, i would just spend as much time as you can with both dry firing or live firing and then decide which one u like more. Good luck

well, for my two cents worth! i know nothing about the xdm but know quite a bit about the m&p. at one time i had three of them, one for my daughter and two got stolen. they are fairly light weight, decent size, easily concealed in a inside waistband holster, and a 6.5 pd trigger pull. plus smith has lowered the price considerably from 719.00 to some where in the mid five hundred range. however a 9mm is not really a good home defense gun, minimum for me would be 38 or 40 cal. if you go to you tube and put in hickock 45 knock down power he gives you a pretty good idea what each caliber does. to confuse things even further you may want to check out a glock 23, or 27. i am sure whatever you do you will happy with your choice and if your like the rest of us you will probably some day end up owning all the guns talked about here. happy safe shooting

Just wanted to add another head to the conversation,
i have shot both of these weapons, and even though i ended up with a sig 226. your choice is your choice.
the main reason on my choice is on the xdm i really didnt like the sight picture when you would hold the gun at full extention, and that you couldn't change the grips if you wanted, it just didnt fit right in my hand. as for the m&p i really didnt like the trigger pull (not sure what lbs it is set) it really didnt feel as smooth as i would like. also early on there were some reports of malfunctions in the m&p line. example, the magazine would fall out of the weapon after taking 2 or 3 shots. i do believe they have fixed these issues by now.
like i say, it is your choice, make sure the weapon you decide to purchase fits you, your style, and your application. happy hunting and god bless.

I just picked up my first pistol this week, an M&P 40. I took it to the range a couple times already and am really impressed with the low felt recoil. My Dad owns a XD .357sig, I thought it was a good gun even though I didn't like the feel of it. I also think that Springfield put too many bells and whistles on it. I don't think I would feel around for the loaded chamber indicator at two in the morning when a window breaks. Plus My dads grip safety would get stuck, which defeats the purpose altogether. I also am not very big, so the interchangeable backstraps were a big selling point to me. Both the xd and glocks and my buddies ruger all felt like bricks in my hand. I spent a long time shopping and for the money, I wouldnt trade my M&P for anything else. It is simple, point and shoot.

Thats like compairing a Gala apple to a Red Delicious. Its all in how your mind wraps around, or you hands, each gun. Both are excellent choices with good backgrounds. I like the safety features of the XD series, but prefer the ergonomics of the S&W better. But, alas and alax, I am a solid Beretta man so I say either a Beretta or Bacon!

I would choose the M&P based on lower felt recoil, adjustable backstraps, no grip safety, and high demand for the M&P. I was waiting for weeks for a M&P Pro 5" to come to my dealer, and finally gave up. I am glad I did...I got a Cz 75 Shadow instead and its better than the M&P IMHO. I have shot the M&P 4.25" and I loved the feel of the recoil on it. I may still get one once the supply returns.

There's a big marketing campaign for Springfield XDM's because their is a lot of supply and not as much demand...if you get my drift. A lot of dealers have concerns about the grip safety...especially that its a bit too sensitive...meaning if you loosen your grip slightly, it can result in no discharge.